How Matai and Kahikatea got their bark

A long time ago when Tane Mahuta was roaming the forest he came across a small seedling that was just poking out of the ground. “ Ahh, Matai I have been waiting for you to sprout. You are special, I know you are, that’s why I named you Matai and when you are older you will be very strong and you will know what your name means.” said Tane Mahuta and then he walked calmly away.

Matai felt so good that he decided that he must be the most beautiful, special tree in the forest. Though he did not know that he was not the only one that Tane Mahuta had spoken the similar words to. On that same day that Tane Mahuta had spoken to Matai, he came across Kahikatea and told him that he was strong and beautiful and had the characteristics of a great leader.

As Matai and Kahikatea grew up they started to get to know each other and soon they were great friends. One day, Kahikatea asked Matai where he grew up and Matai decided to boast about his talk with Tane Mahuta. Kahikatea became angry. “Matai you are lying because I was the one that Tane Mahuta spoke to”.  They then got into a fight and were making such a row that the Patupaiarehe* emerged from a flax bush and said “ You two used to be great friends now you are squabbling like a bunch of crazy keas! ”  But Kahikatea and Matai took no notice and carried on screeching at each other. After a few days the Patupaiarehe were fed up, “ That’s it!” they screamed “ You either leave the forest and never come back or you sort this out! ”

Everything fell silent, even the creek stopped chuckling.

Finally Kahikatea spoke up “So what do suggest we do if we want to sort this mess out?”

“What about a race?” suggested Matai

“Yes race,race,race!” chanted the Patupaiarehe

“Well that’s sorted then” said Tamati the Patupaiarehe leader “whoever grows the tallest by Dawn tomorrow  will replace me as the new leader of our iwi and will be blessed by Tane Mahuta”

There was a cheer from the Patupaiarehe.

In the evening when the race began everyone gathered round Kahikatea and Matai chanting and laughing like it was the best day of their lives. Anahera, the chief's wife, told Matai and Kahikatea the rules and then they started the race. An hour into the race you could hardly see Matai and Kahikatea’s faces, but you could still hear them moaning at each other.

When the night had fallen Matai could hear strange noises like someone was dropping little pebbles all over the ground.Kahikatea had also heard noises but ones like a small fire crackling and people stripping flax.

“PATUPAIAREHE,TAMATI,ANAHERA I WON, I WON” shouted Kahikatea in the following morning.

When the Patupaiarehe rushed to see Matai and Kahikatea they were astonished with what they saw. Matai’s once smooth dark bark was now broken and small circle like pieces of his bark lay next to him. Kahikatea’s bark was also damaged and it had cracks all through it.

“Are you sure it was worth it?” asked Tamati

“What do you mean worth it. Of course it was worth it-I am tall and beautiful with lovely smooth bark” said Kahikatea

“Look at yourself”,said Anahera,

Both Matai and Kahikatea looked down at themselves and a great sadness swept over the them.

“Look at us we are so ugly and scruffy a bird wouldn’t even want to land on us” Moped Matai

“Ae(yes)” said Kahikatea

“Oh Kahikatea, you did win, so do you still want to be chief?” asked Tamati

“Well I might be ugly but Tane Mahuta did say I was born to be a leader” replied Kahikatea

“Well that’s sorted then,” said Tamati “ Anahera, could you go to the top of Kauri and call Tane Mahuta for me? ”

After Tane Mahuta arrived he lay the chief’s kahu huruhuru cloak (feathered cloak) on the root of Kahikatea and sang this Waiata

“E tu Kahikatea Hei whakapae ururoa Awhi mai,awhi atu,Tatou tatou e, Tatou tatou e.

There you go Kahikatea you are now the new chief for this Patupaiarehe iwi.”

Everyone cheers. “Now I have to go and ask Matai if he has guessed what his name means. E noho ra.”

THE END

* Forest People/Fairies